MTAA Super CEO revs up her Mother’s Day Classic fundraising efforts

April 2016 - CEO fundraising for breast cancer research

MTAA Super CEO Leeanne Turner says “perseverance” is the secret of her success as a fundraiser for the Mother’s Day Classic.

Over the past two years she has raised about $20,000 for the Women In Super Mother’s Day Classic, Australia’s biggest fundraising event for breast cancer research.

MTAA Super has been a strong supporter of Mother’s Day Classic since its early days, providing volunteers, teams and Committee support. This year MTAA Super is again a Silver Sponsor and Leeanne is an Ambassador for the Canberra event, now in its 10th year.

For many years, Leeanne’s on-the-day contribution involved providing a donation, as each Mother’s Day she’d travel interstate to visit her own mum, Norma whose birthday usually falls on Mother’s Day.

“A few years ago, I was reflecting on the people I knew affected by the disease or lost to breast cancer, including my brother’s partner,” Leeanne said.

“I had also just started running again. And I decided to participate in the Mother’s Day Classic’s boardroom challenge (now the corporate challenge) to raise funds for research.

“Everything was pointing to me needing to be more involved with the event on Mother’s Day.

“I phoned my Mum and said “I’ve got to do this Mum.” It was her 75th birthday and I promised we’d celebrate it in style in Canberra if she came over so that I could participate on the day. Of course she agreed (and we did celebrate her birthday in style). We’ve done it each year since – she comes with me to the Canberra Mother’s Day Classic and after I run we go somewhere nice to celebrate her special day and Mother’s Day together.”

Leeanne’s superb fundraising effort was kick-started by a challenge from her MTAA Super board chair, John Brumby, which saw her up the ante from the 5km to the 10km event, and this extra “skin in the game” gave her a good reason to ask donors for larger contributions!

In 2014, Leeanne was the top fundraiser for the event in the ACT, and sixth highest fundraiser nationally.

“Really, everyone knows someone who has been affected by breast cancer. Making a contribution, large or small, towards research is a positive way the community can help solve this health issue.”